Tennessee Center for Policy Research

Tennessee Center for Policy Research (TCPR) describes itself as "an independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan research and educational institute dedicated to providing concerned citizens, the media and public leaders with expert research and timely free market policy solutions to public policy issues in Tennessee." 

TCPR is part of the State Policy Network.

TCPR has emerged as a government watchdog, taking both Republicans and Democrats to task for pork spending, for ethical breaches and for not disclosing information that might show conflicts-of-interest. 

Additionally, in an internal e-mail sent by a staffer at the Tennessee Department of Revenue, TCPR was described as "not a legitimate organization" in an effort to deny the group public information. The Tennessee Department of Revenue was taken to task for this statement. Indeed, one Tennessee newspaper accused officials at the Department of Revnue of "Byzantine logic," in trying to keep tax information from TCPR and the public. 

Staff & Scholars
According to TCPR's website, the following are staff and scholars:

Staff

 * Drew Johnson, President
 * Kellie Garretson, Administrative Assistant
 * Trent Seibert, Director of Government Accountability (bio)
 * Nicole Williams, Vice President of Operations (bio)
 * Douglas Kurdziel, Research Fellow
 * Trapper Michael, Research Fellow
 * Daniel Phillips, Research Fellow
 * Troy Senik, Research Fellow
 * Luci Stephens, Research Fellow

Scholars

 * Dale Bails, PhD, Christian Brothers University
 * Robert Berry, MD, PATMOS EmergiClinic
 * J.C. Bowman, PhD, Florida State University
 * J.R. Clark, PhD, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
 * Larry M. Hall, PhD, Belmont University
 * Martin D. Kennedy, PhD, Middle Tennessee State University
 * Sally Kilgore, PhD, Modern Red Schoolhouse Institute
 * Shaka L.A. Mitchell, JD, Institute for Justice
 * John Stone, PhD, Education Consumers Clearinghouse
 * Amy H. Sturgis, PhD, Belmont University
 * Charles Van Eaton, PhD, Bryan College
 * Marilyn Young, PhD, Belmont University

Links
Links from TCPR's website include the following right-wing and libertarian think tanks:


 * American Enterprise Institute
 * Cato Institute
 * Center for Public Integrity
 * Competitive Enterprise Institute
 * Fraser Institute
 * Heartland Institute
 * Heritage Foundation
 * Independence Institute
 * Independent Institute
 * Manhattan Institute
 * National Center for Policy Analysis
 * Pacific Research Institute
 * Reason Foundation

Funding
The TCPR is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization but does not disclose the sources of funding on its website. In its 2005 annual IRS return for 2005, TCPR states that its total income was $104,908 with expenditure of $76,673. (Pdf)

Corporation
The "Tennessee Center for Policy Research, 1606 Burton Avenue, #A, Nashville, 37215, Jason A. Johnson" is found among the Legal Listings for New Corporations posted by The [Nashville, TN] City Paper Online, April 27, 2005.

On March 10, 2005, Roger Abramson reported in the Nashville Scene that "Belmont University graduate Drew Johnson serves as the center's president, and seeks to bring his public policy experience with Washington-based groups like the National Taxpayers Union and the American Enterprise Institute a little closer to home.

Website
According to a WHOIS search, TENNESSEEPOLICY.ORG was created October 13, 2004, and registered to Drew Johnson at P.O. Box 121331, Nashville, TN 37212.

The website debuted online the week of March 8, 2005. 

Contact Information
PO Box 121331 Nashville, TN 37212 Phone: 615 383-6431 Fax: 615 383-6432 Email: info AT tennesseepolicy.org Website: http://www.tennesseepolicy.org/

Other SourceWatch Resources

 * Think tanks